Source of the water

Nationwide

Ice Dam Leak Cleanup in the United States

Our incident command team addresses water entering beneath roof materials, then dries attic insulation, framing, walls, and ceilings affected by the leak.

Restoration phone support around the clock
Residential and commercial loss response
Measured extraction, cleanup, and drying
One restoration team from assessment to dry standard

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Signs to look for

When to call us for ice dam leak cleanup

As the coordinated steps continue, if you notice any of these problems, call us before water has more time to spread into nearby materials.

A ridge of ice sits along the eave above the gutter

To keep the incident under control, that ridge is the dam itself, and meltwater is pooling behind it.

Thick icicles are hanging from the gutter line

To keep the incident under control, icicles mean water is running down a warm roof and freezing at a cold edge.

A wet or stained line where the ceiling meets an exterior wall

Ice dam water enters over the top plate and drops into the corner. That ceiling perimeter line line stain is the single most common ice dam symptom.

Water is running out of the top of a window or a door

With the scene stabilized, the wall cavity carries the water down to the first thing that blocks it, which is a window head.

It leaks on a sunny day, not during the storm

With the scene stabilized, the snow needs to melt before there is any water to leak.

The roof field is clear of snow but the edge is iced

To keep the incident under control, heat escaping into the attic melts snow over the heated part of the house.

What happens

How we take command of ice dam leak cleanup

Our incident command team adjusts the work to which materials took on water, how far the water traveled, and which materials can be saved.

Safety overhead before anything else

From the first status check, wet ceiling boxes and can lights mean the circuit gets shut off from a dry location.

Stopping the meltwater at the dam

To keep the incident under control, steam removal is the correct method, and we coordinate a crew that has the deployed equipment. To keep the incident under control, low pressure steam melts a channel through the ice without stripping the shingles.

Reading the ceiling perimeter line line and the top of the wall

From the first status check, a moisture meter runs the full length of every exterior wall in the affected room, not just the stained part.

Wall cavity access where the water came down

From the first status check, baseboard or window casing comes off and small access holes let us read and dry inside the cavity.

Wet insulation at the eave removed and bagged

Compacted or soaked material at the perimeter line line comes out in place and gets replaced with a measured R value.

Drying an assembly that is cold on one side

As the coordinated steps continue, the house stays heated, the wet cavity gets contained, and air movers work into the openings with an Professional dehumidifier on the room.

Talk with a restoration specialist

Water loss in the United States?

Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.

Call (855) 876-9548

What to expect

What to expect from our incident command team

To keep the incident under control, here is how we usually handle ice dam leak cleanup near the United States.

1
You call and we ask what the roof edge looks like

As the coordinated steps continue, ice ridge, icicles, snow depth and which side of the house it is on. With the scene stabilized, those four answers let our dispatcher know whether steam removal comes on the first trip.
Your call
2
Photograph the ice, then clear the room

With the scene stabilized, take pictures of the eave from the ground while the ice is still there.
+5 minutes
3
A crew is mobilized for cold weather work

From the first status check, sealed work area, drying equipment and the steam contact get lined up together.
+15 minutes
4
Exterior and interior documented before work starts

From the first status check, we record the dam, the icicles, the gutter condition and every interior stain with dates.
On arrival
5
The meltwater gets stopped at the eave

From the first status check, steam opens channels through the dam so water drains off the roof instead of backing up under the shingles.
First hours on site
6
The perimeter line gets mapped, wall by wall

Readings run the full exterior wall length, the ceiling perimeter line line and both sides of every window head.
First hours on site
7
Swollen casing off, wet blown in material out at the eave

Swollen window casing, failed board and soaked blown in insulation at the eave are removed and logged. Perimeter line line gypsum that only met clean meltwater stays where it is and gets dried.
Day 1

Understanding the cost

What can affect the price

As the coordinated steps continue, we explain the recommended work and price before you approve the job. As the coordinated steps continue, these examples show what may change the estimate.

Common situation	What the estimate may include	Typical range
Steam ice dam removal at the eave, by a specialty crew	With the scene stabilized, national estimate.	$400 to $1,500
Interior cleanup after one ice dam leak, one room dried in place	National estimate for perimeter line ceiling and wall drying with trim removal, no demolition.	$600 to $2,000
Several eaves leaking, multiple rooms with removal and drying	To keep the incident under control, national estimate including wet insulation removal, drywall sections and five to seven drying days.	$3,000 to $9,000
Wet attic or perimeter insulation removal and disposal, per square foot	With the scene stabilized, national estimate for extraction, bagging and disposal of soaked material.	$1.00 to $2.50
Perimeter drywall removal with cavity drying, per square foot	As the coordinated steps continue, national estimate for removal, disposal and drying of the opened assembly.	$1.50 to $4.00
Attic air sealing and insulation top up, by an insulation contractor	With the scene stabilized, national estimate for sealing attic bypasses and bringing depth back to code. With the scene stabilized, this is the fix, not the cleanup.	$1,200 to $4,000
Heat cable installed at the eave and in the gutter, by a contractor	From the first status check, national estimate for a separate trade, not part of our cleanup work plan.	$600 to $2,500
After hours or overnight dispatch charge	As the coordinated steps continue, national estimate for nights, weekends and holidays, billed once rather than per hour.	$100 to $400 nationally

How many eaves are leaking
One dam over one room is a contained job. Three sides of a house during a long thaw is three separate wet zones.
How far the water ran along the wall
To keep the incident under control, water spreads sideways on the top plate before it drops.
Whether the ice has to be removed first
As the coordinated steps continue, steam removal is its own contractor visit and is usually billed hourly.
How much ceiling, wall and trim has to come out
As the coordinated steps continue, board that can be dried in place costs a fraction of what removal and rebuild cost.
Insulation type and depth at the perimeter
With the scene stabilized, blown in material at the eave has to be extracted rather than lifted out.
Cold weather drying days
To keep the incident under control, air movers run roughly $25 to $40 per unit per day and Professional dehumidifiers roughly $70 to $110 per unit per day.

Why timing matters

What can happen when the area stays wet

From the first status check, water can keep moving into nearby materials even when the surface looks dry.

The dam rebuilds every night it refreezes

To keep the incident under control, one warm afternoon and one cold night is all it takes to make more ice.

This water is above the line the roof was designed for

To keep the incident under control, shingles shed running water, they do not hold standing water.

Wet insulation makes the next dam worse

With the scene stabilized, soaked material at the eave stops insulating, so more heat reaches the roof deck and more snow melts.

Cold cavities hold water for weeks on their own

From the first status check, framing at 35 degrees releases moisture very slowly.

Helpful service information

What to know about ice dam leak cleanup

With the scene stabilized, start with the short explanation. From the first status check, open a card if you want a little more detail.

What is happening inside the property

From the first status check, heat leaking from the house warms the roof deck over the living space.

Read the explanation

From the first status check, the physics here are simple and they explain everything about where the water shows up.

How the next step is decided

Ice dams form where heat loss is concentrated, so they come back in the same place until that path is closed.

Read the explanation

Recurrence is the part that matters for your money. Ice dams form where heat loss is concentrated, so they come back in the same place until that path is closed.

What may change the work

It enters over the top plate at the outside wall, so the first wet materials are the ceiling perimeter line and the top of the wall cavity.

Read the explanation

Inside the building, ice dam water behaves unlike any other leak we take command of. It enters over the top plate at the outside wall, so the first wet materials are the ceiling perimeter line and the top of the wall cavity.

Help near you

Ice Dam Leak Cleanup near the United States

Choose your area below, or call (855) 876-9548 and describe how the incident started.

Available in Alabama

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Common questions

Questions about ice dam leak cleanup

What is an ice dam and why does it leak?

With the scene stabilized, heat escaping into your attic melts snow on the upper roof. From the first status check, that water runs down and refreezes at the cold overhang, building a ridge of ice.

How much does ice dam leak cleanup cost?

As the coordinated steps continue, nationally, one room dried in place usually runs about $600 to $2,000. With the scene stabilized, several leaking eaves with removal typically run $3,000 to $9,000.

Does insurance cover ice dam damage?

As the coordinated steps continue, usually yes for the interior damage, because it is treated as sudden weather damage.

Can I chip the ice off myself?

To keep the incident under control, no. With the scene stabilized, do not chip, hammer, chisel or pressure wash ice on a roof, and do not put a ladder against an icy building.

Should I use a roof rake or salt?

As the coordinated steps continue, a roof rake used from the ground is reasonable for pulling snow off the lower roof.

How is the ice actually removed?

To keep the incident under control, low pressure steam is the correct method and it is what the specialty crews use.

Why is the water coming out over my window?

To keep the incident under control, the water enters over the top plate and drops into the wall cavity.

Talk with a restoration specialist

Water loss in the United States?

Describe the source, the impacted rooms, and when you first noticed the damage.

Call (855) 876-9548

Areas we serve

Water-damage help across the United States

As the coordinated steps continue, identify your state to reach restoration assessment, extraction, cleanup, and drying service in your area.

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Ice Dam Leak Cleanup in the United States

When to call us for ice dam leak cleanup

A ridge of ice sits along the eave above the gutter

Thick icicles are hanging from the gutter line

A wet or stained line where the ceiling meets an exterior wall

Water is running out of the top of a window or a door

It leaks on a sunny day, not during the storm

The roof field is clear of snow but the edge is iced

How we take command of ice dam leak cleanup

Safety overhead before anything else

Stopping the meltwater at the dam

Reading the ceiling perimeter line line and the top of the wall

Wall cavity access where the water came down

Wet insulation at the eave removed and bagged

Drying an assembly that is cold on one side

Water loss in the United States?

What to expect from our incident command team

You call and we ask what the roof edge looks like

Photograph the ice, then clear the room

A crew is mobilized for cold weather work

Exterior and interior documented before work starts

The meltwater gets stopped at the eave

The perimeter line gets mapped, wall by wall

Swollen casing off, wet blown in material out at the eave

What can affect the price

What can happen when the area stays wet

The dam rebuilds every night it refreezes

This water is above the line the roof was designed for

Wet insulation makes the next dam worse

Cold cavities hold water for weeks on their own

What to know about ice dam leak cleanup

What is happening inside the property

How the next step is decided

What may change the work

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